Looks good to me!JThe teams should start Tuesday’s series with the Yankees either up by a game or the two teams in a deadheat since the Red Sox are off on Monday while the Yanks close out their series with the Rays. Make no mistake, the Yankees-Red Sox series is huge.The Yankees cannot afford to “no show” like they did earlier in the season.With the Mets on the heels of the Red Sox, the next week is going to be very challenging and the team needs to show what it is made of.Plus, the Yankees wouldn’t really want to see me in a Jason Bay t-shirt, would they?Let’s hope that they put a Mark Teixeira t-shirt on my friend Julia!

Okay, I suppose I should say how we got to this point.Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself…

The Yankees defeated the Tampa Bay Rays today, 4-3, in a comeback win.It wasn’t the dramatic 9th inning walk-off variety, but it worked just as well.

The game was rather tight in the early going.I was pleased to see Joba Chamberlain breeze through the first inning with three putouts by Mark Teixeira.B.J. Upton started the scoring with a RBI double in the 3rd, bringing home Reid Brognac.The Yankees countered in the bottom of the inning when Nick Swisher hit the 100th home run at Yankee Stadium this season, a solo shot.

During ESPN’s Baseball Tonight show prior to the game, the sportscasters attempted to predict who would hit the 100th home run.Names like Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira were thrown out, but in the end, it was Swish!

The game remained tied at 1 until the 6th inning.With a two-run single by Gabe Gross, the Rays took a 3-1 lead.Joba only had 4 strikeouts on the day, but he registered a huge one when he struck out Dioner Navarro with two outs, and runners at second and third, preventing further damage by the Rays.

In the bottom of the 8th, with both starting pitchers long gone, the Yankees played a game of small ball.After Derek Jeter flied out, Johnny Damon singled.The next batter, Mark Teixeira, singled to advance Damon to third.

Christopher Pasatieri/US Presswire

Alex Rodriguez walked to load the bases.J.P. Howell was brought in to relieve Grant Balfour who had started the top of the inning in relief of Joe Nelson.He surrendered a walk to Robinson Cano, which scored Damon from third.3-2 Rays.Jorge Posada grounded into a fielder’s choice at third, which scored Teixeira.A-Rod was safe at third, due to an error by third baseman Willy Aybar.Game tied at 3.Hideki Matsui came up next, and hit a grounder to second which took out Jorge Posada but Alex Rodriguez scored to put the Yanks up, 4-3.Melky Cabrera missed a clutch scoring opportunity with a strikeout to end the inning, but the Yankees had their first lead of the game.

Bring on the 9th and Mariano Rivera.A day earlier, the Rays had victimized Rivera, scoring 4 runs in the 9th to win 9-7.In a controversial decision by manager Joe Girardi, Rivera had intentionally walked the Rays’ Evan Longoria.But Sunday was a new day, and Mo, never one to back down, was prepared.The first two batters were retired easily.Matt Joyce grounded out to first, and Gabe Gross struck out swinging.The next batter due up was Dioner Navarro, but he took a seat as Evan Longoria was brought in to pinch hit.The dramatic stage was set.Rivera versus Longoria.The matchup that had never materialized the previous day due to the intentional pass ordered by Girardi.Would Longoria tie the game or get on base as the potential tying run?Or would Rivera re-establish his dominance as perhaps the greatest closer of all-time?Longoria fouled the first two pitches to fall behind in the count, 0-2.The next pitch was a ball to put the count at 1-2.On the fourth pitch, Longoria grounded out to second and the ball game was over.The Rays were no longer undefeated at Yankee Stadium and the Yankees had moved into a tie with the Boston Red Sox for first, and then moved forward by a ½ game later in the day when the Texas Rangers defeated the Red Sox 6-3. Alfredo Aceves, who has truly morphed into the role once occupied by Ramiro Mendoza, was the winner with two innings of one-hit, shutout ball in relief of Chamberlain. Rivera picked up his 13th save.

Goodnight to the Rays and Red Sox! This day belonged to the Yankees…

So, although the weekend started on a depressing note, it rebounded very nicely!

Hey Julia, the Yankees will soon be headed for Boston…with a vengeance!Look out…

Go Yankees!

–Scott

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7 Comments

Well, at least YOU can say your guys learned to rebound after a loss. While I, on the other hand, have only to wait until Tuesday (and the MLB Draft) to have joy as to MY motley crew…
I mean, my God, we did such a number on the Mets last night…only to UN-learn everything today. I didn’t even bother watching this piece of garbage; I was watching Virginia move on to the College World Series!!! (Yes, the same UVA that beat Stephen Strasburg 9 days ago…THAT team.)
I’ll leave you now to get back to your little tete-a-tete with Julia…LMAO…just remember, we’ll be at the “new” YS on the 16th-18th. (Hopefully we’ll remember how to play baseball…lol)
Garyhttp://go-nasty-nats.mlblogs.comhttp://twitter.com/gonastynatshttp://www.youtube.com/DCSportsNut

The party’s over? What – you’re conceding already? Okay – I accept! ;-) Gee – I really thought you would have put up more of a fight. lol! I am looking forward to the series in Boston. We’ll have Beckett, Wakefield and Penny on the mound for us. While I would have liked to see Lester in the lineup I am happy with the rotation. Yes – the only thing I can see hurting us is the weather. Tuesday and Thursday are not looking so good right now. Game on my friend and may the Red Sox…er…best team win. ;-)

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